A Contract Marriage With My Boss

Sarah stared at him. Though she pitied the state that he was in, she still remained standing. She didn't know what to say to him. "I needn't sit down. I will leave after I've said what I need to say. We are not right for each other. I won't ever be with you, so I'm not going to do what you ask whether I caused the car accident or not. I have promised Emma that I would see you, but we have broken up over whether you love me or not." Perhaps Mrs. Thomas was right after all. They were not right for each other. His family was against them. Moreover, she had no idea whether Charles loved her or not. There was no need for her to stay with him.

With one last look at Charles, Sarah turned to leave. Sarah stopped, however, when she suddenly heard Charles saying in pain, "How did it all come to this? Do you know?"

Sarah had never heard Charles sound so desperate. It sounded as though the pain came from deep within his heart. She stopped but didn't turn around.

After a moment, Charles suddenly said, "Sarah, I've realized how deeply I've fallen in love with you. Believe it or not, I can feel it now."

Sarah was stunned. She turned around and stared at Charles blankly, unsure of what to say.

Charles continued, "I am sorry for what I did to you. At first, indeed, I didn't care about your feelings. I thought you were just another woman who would do whatever I said, so I didn't know how to cherish you. I never felt anything close to being worried until you wanted to resign for the first time. In order to keep you, I told you that you could be my girlfriend. Afterward, I didn't regret it at all. I began to enjoy the life I had with you. I felt genuine happiness when I saw your face light up on your birthday. I suddenly found that I could become happy by making you happy. Then we often quarreled with each other because of misunderstandings. You were upset, I also felt angry. You didn't trust me at all, and I always shied away from telling you how I truly felt."

Sarah had not expected him to open up so freely. Was he really telling her that he loved her? Sarah suddenly felt herself turning into a little girl again, giddy at the thought of him loving her.

Charles continued, "That time, in the office, I said some terrible things to you because I was angry. I only wanted to aggravate you. Unexpectedly, you took it straight to heart and wanted to break up. Then I regretted everything and tried to make amends. You, however, were unwilling to see me even when I waited outside for you almost every day."

"Why is it that now you can tell me that you love me, but you couldn't say it in my apartment when it mattered?" Sarah said, frustrated.

Charles shook his head, "Because I just didn't know how much I loved you at the time, and I was afraid that I wasn't able to make that commitment to you. I can't make that promise so easily. I'm fearful of wasting your time, Sarah. If I couldn't be sure at the time that I was in love with you and that you were the one for me, I would have been deceiving you. It's because I cared for you that I didn't rush to tell you anything immediately."

"Why are you now, so sure? Why do you suddenly feel as though it is time to tell me, Charles?"

Charles replied timidly, "You will leave me forever if I don't admit that I love you now. You don't know how sad I became during the time that you disappeared. I have grown so used to being with you, so I decided to make it clear. I want to keep you here, and once we are together, I will try my best to protect you no matter how difficult the future might be. I want to be with you forever. Can you trust me? Can I have another chance?"

Sarah didn't know how to answer him. Could she really spend the rest of her life with this man who was lying, broken on the bed? He was so injured that his body was almost completely covered in bandages. This had all come as such a shock. She didn't know how to accept him.

Sarah made no response, so Charles said in a hurry, "Sarah, I'm serious. Can't you give me another chance?"

Sarah stood there, motionless, then suddenly she shook her head as tears began to roll down her face. She had promised Mrs. Thomas that she wouldn't be with Charles anymore. Even if Charles insisted, they would have to overcome so much to be together if his family would not accept them. Moreover, she was unwilling to get him into more trouble than he was already in. Sarah made a difficult decision, then replied, "It's too late. I have given up on the idea of us forever. I swore to myself that I wouldn't be with you. Go to hell!"

With those words, Sarah turned to leave, lest she would be persuaded once more by him. Charles began to cry out to her, "Sarah, Sarah!"

Sarah didn't look back. She wiped her tears and kept on walking. When she was about to reach the elevator, she heard someone behind her calling her name, "Miss Tyler, please wait. We need to talk!"

Sarah followed Mr. Thomas as he led her outside, unsure of where he was taking her. They finally came to a small garden on the hospital grounds after walking far away from the emergency ward. There were many patients doing activities here; some of them were accompanied by their families who were taking them out for a walk. The weather was beautiful, with the sun beating down on them.